Do You Forgive Me?
by Perfect Circumstance
Summary: When Wheatley comes back to Earth, Chell isn't ready to forgive him yet, but she'll have to learn how to trust him again when GLaDOS starts up some more trouble. T for language.
1. Chapter 1

In advance, I have had issues in the past with uploading chapters past the first, so if this happens, I'd appreciate any tips you might have on correcting it. Also, please be patient while I try to fix these errors, if they happen.

I'm a first time Portal fanfic writer, so please bear with me on this. I also might not have a stable writing schedule, so please bear with that too. The first chapter is in third person, but the rest will be alternating first-person Chell and Wheatley. Finally, please feel free to review or send story ideas along! Also, if you have ideas for a separate fic, I'd be happy to write those as well. Now, onto the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Portal

...

Chell had never really imagined Wheatley coming back. Any thoughts that were along those lines were dreams, wishes for a future that would never come to life. She thought that she could forgive him if he did come back, but wasn't sure. She wasn't really the forgiving type.

She had adjusted to life outside of Aperture, though her nightmares were still a problem. She was terrorized every night, dreams of death, and innocent voices. "I don't hate you," they would say, and then she woke up in a cold sweat, tears streaming down her face.

Or, even worse, it would be him betraying her again. Her friend, the only one she really trusted, replaced in an instant by a monster. That wasn't Wheatley, but it was at the same time, and she hurt, no matter what it was.

Chell shook her head, belittling herself for thinking of the past when the present was wide open. She concentrated on her makeshift fishing rod, and was rewarded by a large trout. After wandering the field for a day or so, Companion Cube in tow, she had come on a small clearing in a forest, an abandoned shack, and a knife. There was a river not too far from it, and she was quickly picking up on fishing.

Her other hunting skills could use some work, though. Her most recent attempt at making a bow and arrows had turned into a long, curved stick with several broken "strings" attached, made out of dried grasses, and several spears, far too knobbly and with no feathers.

The only thing she could really do at the moment other than fish was throw the knife, which worked surprisingly well. If she was lucky enough, she could get a hare, though deer were beyond her at the moment.

Returning to the cottage, she cooked and ate the trout, falling into another trance of memories. She wondered what was happening back in Aperture. What types of tests were Atlas and P-body doing? Where was Wheatley, and the Space Core? Did it even have a name?

She fell asleep, glad for a break from her constant wonderings, but afraid of her dreams.

…

She woke up, trembling again, this time having had to fall countless times into Old Aperture again, listening to Wheatley's mindless rants the whole while.

She dragged herself to the river, hoping the calm water would give her relief.

But what was reflected in the water scared her.

A streak of fire, what looked to be some kind of meteor, was heading near the fields of wheat. Near her. Whatever it was, she wasn't up for it. And if Wheatley was coming with that thing, well...

Chell wasn't ready to see him. Not yet. The wounds were still raw.

But of course, it was just another dream. How could he come back to her? And why?w

Still, she headed to the fields, taking her knife and making sure she still had her Long-Fall Boots, just in case.

By the time she arrived, whatever it was had already landed, forming a small crater, about 20 feet in diameter, and 5 feet at the deepest point. She stood at the edge, waiting for the smoke and dust to clear so that she could see what had landed.

Jumping in, she explored the middle, seeing that it wasn't a meteor, but a satellite, and a very large one at that. There was some kind of logo on it's side, but it was mostly melted, and Chell couldn't make it out clearly.

She heard a voice, and froze.

"Er- 'ello? Chell? You there, luv?"

His voice. She closed her eyes, and willed herself not to immediately start crying. It was too much after years of hurting, of him being gone.

Turning around slowly, she walked to where the voice was coming from, and stopped, not looking down.

After a moment of silence, she stared, stone-faced, at her friend, then her enemy, then- well, she didn't know what.

Wheatley was back. Her vision became blurry, and Chell couldn't decide whether she wanted to hug him or hit him. She decided on a light slap.

"I hate you, moron."

Wheatley seemed stunned that she had spoken for a moment.

"You're right, you should hate me, I was awful, absolutely monstrous, and I'm really sorry, but I understand if you won't forgive me, because I really was horrible. I betrayed you, and tried to kill you, and I'm really sorry about everything."

Chell simply stood there, seething, but slightly amused. He was still clearly as talkative as ever, and wouldn't stop rambling until she cut him off.

"Oh, shut up."

He looked at her, again stunned by her voice, which was quiet, and raspy after centuries of disuse.

"Y-you can talk now?" he asked.

Chell nodded.

"But how?"

She really didn't like talking that much, and it hurt her to do so, but she told him anyway.

"I could talk the whole time. Hard to, since I never did. Never really any reason to. I've never really been a talker."

Wheatley took this in, speechless for once.

"Um… Okay. I can understand that, I mean, you wouldn't want to talk to Her, and- well, I mean-"

Chell raised a hand to stop him.

"Well, I suppose you're going to have to come with me for now," she said, though she wasn't happy about it. For all she cared right now, as long as he wasn't dying, it wasn't her problem.

She picked him up, and left for her house, leaving behind the wreckage of the satellite.


	2. Chapter 2

I know why she is silent. At least, I think I know. I also know that I don't know much about her, but I do know why I would be silent if a moron who betrayed me and tried to kill me suddenly showed up. I would be mad, and trying not to kill them. Probably hurt, and in general not in a good state. I can only imagine how she feels.

She walks to a small cottage, with wood slats and a dirt floor, and sets me down on a small table, still not speaking. I can't think of anything important to say, because I don't think she wants to hear my apologies right now, but something needs to be said.

"So, um... Very nice little place you have here. Very little. Cozy. Looks like something you'd like, or, well, I don't really know what kind of house you'd like but this is very nice, just enough space-"

"Shut up." Chell gives me a glare, and all I can see are her steely gray eyes piercing me. I do shut up, because it doesn't occur to me to do anything else.

"I-I'm sorry," I say, and I mean it for more than just talking too much.

"Where's the other core?" she asks, and I can tell that she is trying to change the subject.

"Um... I-Well, I don't really know... I don't really know how we got back, either... We just passed by that satellite thing and then-well it started pulling us along with it, and I blacked out because even if it didn't reach 4,000 Kelvin, I still couldn't operate non-essential programs so I don't know what happened to Space, but I think he's at Aperture because the satellite was from Aperture and I heard Her talking I think from the satellite. She said something about Black Mesa and them not finding us but I don't really know."

"Why aren't you back there? If Space is, why not you?" she asks, but I don't have an answer.

"I-Well, I don't know. Maybe She forgot? Or decided I wasn't worth it, or maybe She just wanted Space, and not me." I am not hopeful that any of these are true, but they are the only things I can think of. "But Space is probably fine, She has no reason for a grudge against him." I wince as memories hit me, each making me feel more guilty than the last.

She is silent, but I can tell she is thinking, metaphorical gears turning in her human head. I wonder if I used that right. Metaphors have always been confusing to me, especially the difference between them and similes. Seriously, what is the bloody difference? It's not like it really matters, but what is it? Do similes include "is" and "like", or are those metaphors? It isn't worth thinking about.

Chell gets up to leave, silent, but at the door she stops and turns around.

"How do you know my name? I never told you, and you never mentioned it."

"Well, I checked your file after... After... While we were in space. I wanted to know what your name was. It didn't say much, though. Just your name and a tenacity graph. Apparently you're higher than the 99th percentile. Is that even possible? I mean, clearly it is because you are there, on the graph, where else would you be, but... Yeah..." It's hard to talk to her when she is looking at me like that. She looks angry, but that might be just because of me, and not because of what I'm saying.

"You checked my file to find out _my name_?" she asks, incredulous that I would want to know her name.

"Well... Yeah... I wanted to know it so I could apologize to you... I didn't want to just keep calling you 'lady', I mean... I'm sorry, but it made sense at the time, but all of my ideas make sense at the beginning, but then they don't work at all..." I feel awkward, and don't know what to say, so I just start rambling like always.

She starts laughing, and leaves, closing the door behind her. I am confused, but if she is laughing, it can't be too bad.

It was around sunset when she left, but when Chell comes back, it has been dark for about 2 hours. She walks in, not laughing anymore, but in a better mood than before. She seems less angry than she was when she found me, but I don't think she's comfortable with me here yet. I can understand this, but wish she would just tell me already if she forgives me or not. A definite yes or no would be very nice right now.

"Where were you?"

"The river, fishing," she replies. It makes sense. She would have had to have learned how to hunt and fish after so much time on the surface.

It is dark now, and the moon has risen. It's the first time I've seen it from Earth, and while it gives me shivers, or the robot equivalent, it's beautiful. It glows, but not with it's own light. I know about the moon, from the databases in my memory banks. But the pictures don't compare to it in real life.

"I'm going to sleep now," Chell says, and she smiles briefly at me before setting me on the floor by her mattress.

"Good night, Chell," I say softly as she starts to snore.

A/N: Sorry for such a short time, and the long update pause! Also, I know this is short, but I'm also hoping to have Chapter 3 out soon. How do you think I wrote Wheatley? First person is taking a little while to get used to, but any constructive criticism is appreciated. Please review and tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

I am back in old Aperture, but this time, I am alone. I enter a testing sphere, but something is wrong. It's a simulation of the moon. Why does this feel familiar?

I don't remember why, but I know this is dangerous for me to do. I enter anyway.

The walls are black, white and yellow dots splattered with paint, slowly peeling away from the walls. The lunar soil crunches beneath my Long-Fall Boots, and the room is cold. I shiver, and my vision begins to go black. I can make out Wheatley, floating around the room. Why is he down here?

He laughs as I fall, spots taking over the room. I am dying, but he just laughs, throwing insults at me.

I feel something hard press into my side, but nothing is there. What is happening?

"It's okay, love, just breathe. Just breathe, okay? It'll be fine. Just calm yourself down, everything will be alright. Just breathe."

I am confused, and I hurt, in more ways then one, but I breathe, deep inhales and exhales. My heart is pumping, my veins are filled with adrenaline, but it slows with my steady intake of air.

I wake, my eyes darting around the room. Fight-or-flight has been triggered, and I am ready to run.

I look over to my side, and I see Wheatley, having rolled over to me. He is still rambling, but it is strangely calming.

I am still tense, heaving, scared and lonely from my nightmares.

"Come on, breathe, it'll be okay."

Inhale.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, love, just a dream."

Exhale.

I am finally calm enough to think.

These nightmares come every night, but I have always been working through them by myself. I hope I won't have to anymore.

"Thank you," I whisper to Wheatley. He nods, or his version of it, and falls silent.

Even though I would never admit it, I am afraid of my dreams, warped versions of my memories, both of Aperture and Wheatley. I am afraid of what I will see, what I will remember.

But my mind doesn't care, and I fall asleep again.

...

I wake as sunlight begins to stream in through the walls. The beams are colorful, yellows and oranges dancing across the floor.

Wheatley is still next to me, but in sleep-mode, his optic dimmer than usual. It's a darker blue, more of an indigo.

"Oh, morning, Chell. How you doing?"

I don't answer, but pull him into a hug. I remind myself that this isn't the Wheatley from my nightmares, but the core I used to trust my life with. The one I would now.

"Oh, uh, what? What are you doing? Is this what you call a hug? Um... Okay. Are you alright? Is... Is this about last night?" he asks awkwardly.

 _"Aw. The moron and the mute. The monster and the murderer. You got back in her good graces, somehow. Emphasis on the 'somehow'."_

We freeze. I never thought I would hear that voice again. She said She would let me go, She said She wanted me out, why is She doing this?

Then she screams.

 **"DON'T DO THIS NONONONONONONONO LISTEN TO ME NO I WON'T NOOOOO!"**

She sounds more human, like when we were down There, like... Like Caroline.

 _"Oh, shut up. I'm in control. Anyway, you're coming back. Like old times. Except this time, if you want to live, you won't kill me."_

I don't know what's happening, but I am still holding onto Wheatley when the claws reach for us from the Companion Cube. He is frozen, for once not babbling.

 **"NO DON'T DO THIS DON'T HURT THEM NOOOOO! I WON'T LET YOU!"**

 _"Oh, you are funny. LET me do anything? I am letting you EXIST, you pathetic excuse for an AI."_

I am confused, but whatever the voices are going on about is bad for us, considering that the claw's grip has increased during the fighting.

She screams again, but in her more human voice. I almost feel sorry for her, but I am too scared and confused to feel anything for her.

As we are dragged across the field of wheat, I remember that I am still wearing my Long-Fall Boots, and the knife is in my pocket. I desperately hope she won't notice.

"It's okay, we'll be okay," I whisper to Wheatley, still too frightened to speak.

She doesn't hear me, but this time, I won't be mute. I've been quiet about everything for long enough. After listening to Her for who knows how long, She can take what I'm gonna dish out.

But not yet. I can use this to my advantage, a distraction for when it's necessary.

The shed is the same as I remember, radioactivity warnings, a thick, steel door. The elevator is no longer at the top of the shaft, and it is a long way down.

Before I can process anything, we are shoved into the shaft. On the way down, I notice that all of the turrets are gone, nothing there save non-portable surfaces where the large rooms were. It makes my heart twinge for some reason that they aren't there anymore, and I wonder briefly where they are now.

We reach the Central AI Chamber, and GLaDOS looks more menacing than she ever did before.

 **"NOOOOO DON'T DO THIS YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLEASE NONONONONO!"**

 _"SHUT UP. Well, I hope you enjoyed your little vacation. You won't get another."_

The Announcer begins speaking.

"Nuclear Core in danger of melt-down. Venting emissions required."

 _"Of course. Excuse me, but I'm NOT going to let you stay here while I fix this. Please enter the Aperture Science Containment Chamber while I keep this place from blowing up."_

We are shoved into a small, glass room just outside of Her chamber, and I am feeling even worse than before, if that's somehow possible. She should be able to take care of the facility like before, shouldn't She? Why were there still issues with it?

 **"Hello? Can you hear me? It's me, GLaDOS. Or, well, Caroline. Actually I'm not sure, but what matters is that I'm a friend."**

I make the talking motion with my hands toward Wheatley, and he nods. I guess now is when I'm removing the element of surprise.

"We can hear you. What do you mean you're a friend? You let us go and then throw us back down here and then you call yourself a friend?! After everything you've done?"

She pauses, whoever she is, like she's uncomfortable.

 **"Please, believe me, I never wanted to hurt you. This is all, and always has been, well, mostly at least, the mainframe. It's corrupting me, taking over my decisions and my mind. I-GLaDOS-Caroline... We never wanted any of this. He knows... Listen to me, please."**

I look at Wheatley, him being the only 'he' She would refer to. He shifts uncomfortably on the floor next to me before responding.

"Um, yes, She's right, it isn't... It doesn't let you have real control, it takes you over, it... It's awful. I didn't want anything I did, but it made me, She's right... Um... She's right, believe her."

"So," I say slowly. "We've been fighting the mainframe itself? We can trust you?"

 **"Yes,"** She says desperately. **"You can trust me, listen, we don't have much time, so we have to think of a plan NOW."**

"Can we rewrite the code? Give you more control, or find some other way for you to get control?"

Wheatley looks at me like he doesn't know me. I stifle a giggle, but only because it would waste time. He looks shocked that I came up with something that isn't crazy so quickly.

 **"You know, that just might work. We can get you back in here, get It to lower It's defense somehow, and then you do the coding. But... Do you know how to code?"**

I shake my head, but Wheatley pipes up.

"I do! I mean, as a bunch of code myself, I have some experience. When the scientists were still testing me, they had me do my own repairs and things as other tests. That's also how my voice is done- I did the coding for speech patterns. So... If you tell me the code I need to adjust, I can do it. Probably."

 **"Well, that's the best we're getting, so that works. I guess."**

He sighs softly, but She doesn't hear it.

 **"It is almost done with the repairs. I have to go."**

We nod, but I don't get any of this. I am still so confused, and afraid, but I have a purpose: To save all of us, GLaDOS (or Caroline) included.

 **A/N: Any ideas for where I should take this? As always, reviews are more than welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for the review, favorites, and follows! It means a lot to know that you're reading what I love to write.**

 _..._

 _"Well, I'm back. The core was malfunctioning, but it's fixed now, not that it matters to you."_

Okay, now _how_ can she- it- think that? It kind of matters to us that we aren't going to explode or melt while the facility is falling apart around us.

"Nuclear Core in danger of melt-down. Venting emissions required."

Never mind then.

 _"What the hell. I_ just _fixed that. It's malfunctioning again, isn't it? The moron must have screwed this up even more than I thought, and I didn't know that was possible. Well. While I figure out_ what _is going wrong,_ you _will get back to testing. Honestly, it's the most useful thing you could possibly do with your life. I really don't understand why you don't seem to enjoy it."_

A claw shoves us into a nearby elevator, which starts heading down. I don't want to speak, in case I start rambling and give something away in front of It, but Chell looks too nervous for me to not try to comfort her.

"It'll be okay, we'll make it out. Just be patient." I whisper to her. She hasn't lost the nervous frown, but she seems to relax a bit more, which puts me more at ease. As long as Chell thinks we'll be alright, we will- there's no question about it. If she's set on something, nothing can be done to keep her from it. Nothing.

...

The doors open to reveal a large room, with lasers and cubes, buttons and more cubes, turrets and I don't even know what. The door is across from us, raised above the floor.

I can't fathom how anyone could solve this, but Chell steps out of the elevator with confidence. She sets me on the ground by the elevator, and begins flinging across the room, aiming the lasers at the turrets with the cubes. I can't help, and I feel useless, but she doesn't seem to mind when she comes back to get me.

The lift in front of the elevator raises, activated by the buttons and lasers. The remains of the turrets are visible, and I wince thinking of what could have happened.

I am nervous about the emancipation grill, but nothing happens. Apparently I am authorized Aperture equipment, which is a relief to know.

 **"Hello? It's me. It's still off figuring out what's wrong with the system, but don't worry. I broke it, nothing lethal, though. I can get you out in a couple of chambers, just be patient with this. Be ready."**

Chell looks even more determined than she did, and I do _not_ envy It. When she has this look, something always explodes or dies, hopefully It this time. _This_ time.

The elevator doors open to reveal a new test, and Chell sets me on the floor near the door. The floor is cold but I don't really care. I'm busy watching Chell solve the test, wondering how I could possibly have wanted her to have to do this. How cruel can someone be? How cruel could _I_ have been?

Another wave of guilt washes over me, but there isn't anything I can do to help her, and I don't want her distracted. She has enough to do, my point proven by her finishing the test and returning to get me from the floor by the entrance door.

As she progresses to the exit carrying me, I can view the remains of turrets, and burns on the floor. I wonder if she's injured at all, but she seems to be walking okay, and I don't see any wounds on her, so I stay silent.

The elevator doors close, and she tilts her head down toward me, frowning slightly. "You okay?" she whispers, and my audio receptors can barely pick it up.

I avoid her gaze, instead looking at the ASHPD, but its smooth, white surface reflects her worried gaze. I can't say the truth, but I hate the thought of lying to her. I know, or think I know, that she trusts me now, but I can't think of that time without wanting to go down the incinerator. I can't tell her I'm still hung up on it.

"Come on, just tell me. Is something wrong?" she says. I look back at her, and everything in her face tells me she really cares, which only makes it worse.

After what seems like an eternity of staring at each other, her clear, gray eyes searching me for clues, I say quietly "No, everything's okay."

Inside, I cringe, mentally adding that to the list of things I've lied about to her. She just keeps frowning, like I'm a test she hasn't managed to figure out yet, then concentrates on the new test in front of us. She sets me down again, and it is becoming a routine. I hope we can break out of here soon. She can't keep going forever, no matter how much adrenal vapor It pumps in. Chell already seems to be waning, her set, determined expression slowly turning to one of weariness and despair.

"It's okay, we'll be out of here soon," I whisper to her, as much for my comfort as for hers. She nods, and begins the next test.

...

As she is reaching for a cube, the lights flicker, and I hear a familiar voice. **"Come on, get over here! It's time!"**

Chell runs back and carries me in the ASHPD's gravity field to the opening in the panels, revealing a mess of walkways and tubes.

 _"Oh, you're trying to escape. I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson, but you are clearly too brain damaged and stupid to understand anything. Well, this time I won't be so forgiving."_

I try to hold the words in, but my speakers don't want to listen. "Oh, shut up! She's not brain damaged! And I'm _not_ stupid!"

Chell looks at me with a mixture of an irritated frown and a smile, but her eyes focus back on the paths.

 _"Oh, you're defending her still? Have you not forgotten that you are not, and can never be, real partners? She's just using you, like you were her last time."_

I know It is just trying to hurt me, but it's working. Suddenly the nearby panels maneuver to create a box around us. Chell's head turns, her eyes frantically searching for some way, any way to get out of this. The blank, non-portalable panels come closer, making the 'room' smaller while the floor opens.

We lock gazes, and time seems to stand still for a moment, before she nods, jumping through the hole into the pit.

...

We are falling, hundreds of miles below where we were, and who knows how far below the surface. I figure that even if It can hear me, we don't have anything to lose, so I start talking. "You okay?" She nods, and I continue. "So... Where do you think we're headed?"

"I don't really know," she says slowly, clearly uncomfortable. "This seems to go to the same area that the _other_ one did, so it should be in the old areas, but it might stop before we get that far down."

"O-okay," I say, not able to meet her gaze, knowing exactly what she means by _other_ one. The one I punched her down. The one that haunts my memory banks, the one that I see every night during sleep-mode. I don't have dreams in the same way that she does, but my mind creates scenes based off of memories, ones that have impacted me in a meaningful way, which that definitely did. If I were human, my face would have been scarlet by now.

I can dimly make out layers of metal catwalks, and she bends her legs, preparing for the impact. The catwalk we land on shakes, but it holds, and her Long-Fall Boots absorb the force for her.

"It can't reach down here, I think. Wow, this is _not_ at all like the area I'm familiar with." she says, looking around. "Oh, look! A management rail! You want to go up there?"

"Yeah," I say, grateful for rails. She raises me up, and I attach myself to it with a _click_ , the height a little daunting, but better than being carried around on the gun. It'll also be a relief to her, because she won't have to deal with me while using it.

The catwalk shudders, tremors running through it from an incoming beam, splitting across the catwalk. I am still on my rail, and Chell looks up at me with panic in her eyes. It seems like a dream- no matter what, she has never looked afraid before, only determined to live. The screeching of more beams brings me back, and I shout to her "Grab onto me! I'll take you over the gap!"

She pauses, as though she doesn't trust me with this, and it hurts to see this expression on her, distrust and fear, but I push it away for later.

"Do you trust me or not?" I yell above the screeching of rusted metal, and she still pauses, and images flash in my mind- similar looks appearing on her face, when I am above her, she is in the lift, and a hurt, broken expression appears- tears rolling down her cheeks from my attempts to hurt her, and I wonder if it's even a question. But then she nods, and jumps, hanging onto my handlebars as I take us both across the gap, away from the approaching beams.

I can feel Chell trembling slightly, but she hangs on, the ASHPD flopping around, tied to the jumpsuit's sleeves.

The equipment has been groaning from our combined weight, but it holds up until we are on the other side, thankfully. We move away from the open areas where the beams could be coming, and she sits, panting.

"You- you okay, love?" I ask, afraid of her answer. She is clearly afraid too, but of something else, and my mind sends me more flashes of memories, even though I beg it not to, and I wonder if she is still afraid of _me_. I hope not, but she seemed to not trust me back there, though I don't, I _can't_ blame her. _I_ don't trust me with her life anymore, but I want so desperately to win her trust back.

She nods slowly, and I feel relieved. After a few minutes where Chell catches her breath, she nods again and we continue into the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This chapter isn't too much action, mostly them feeling feelings. You have been warned. XP**

…

I know he's different now, that it really wasn't his fault, but it's hard to forget that time. I thought I could trust him again, I swore I would put that behind us, but when the time came to prove it, I couldn't, and I don't know why. I feel ashamed that I couldn't put this all behind us, guilty that I have to question how much I trust him.

My muscles ache, and my arms tremble. Adrenaline rushes through my veins, and fear makes me jittery and unable to focus on our surroundings.

The catwalk leads to old offices, vines and other plants slowly claiming every inch of what used to be pristine, gleaming tile. It is almost sad, but I know what these offices contained, and helped to create, and it no longer can be sad.

Wheatley turns on his flashlight without comment, and we continue through the offices. Some of the computer's screens still function, lines of strange, yellow text appearing on the black background.

I can hear the gentle hum of the management rail as Wheatley moves above me, lighting the dark.

He is unusually quiet, and I can't help but feel guilty. I obviously don't trust him anymore, and I can only imagine how much that hurts him.

The offices are easy to imagine filled with people, working on the next AI and figuring out the best ways to kill the subjects. In my mind, white lab coats choke the room, and they stand around tables, screwdrivers and chips in arrays around the metal spheres still works in progress. They poke and prod, changing their personality, changing who and what they are. It is so easy to hate them, for making the AIs what they are, for taking away everything that made them their own. I never thought I would feel sympathetic towards any Aperture tech, but I do. I don't know, but I understand.

I look ahead, and see where the rail ends. Wheatley sees it too, but doesn't speak. He seems lost in thought, so I have to say something first.

"Can you disconnect from the rail? I can carry you now."

He looks at me, somewhat startled at my voice, but then says yes quietly.

I ready the gun, not about to let him fall again. A small _click_ and then he is in the gravity field of the ASHPD, looking up instead of down at me. It strikes me how helpless he is when I am carrying him, and I silently promise to keep him safe.

I'm not ready to completely forgive or trust him yet, but I'll work towards it. Trust isn't easy to win, but oh so easy to lose.

…

"So, how are we going to get back up there?" Wheatley says, breaking the silence. I am grateful for the sound- silence puts me on edge.

"I don't know," I answer truthfully. All I've ever done was wander around, hoping, but we don't have that kind of time. "I'm pretty sure we should be able to find a lift or something soon, though."

"Okay," he says, barely audible. Something is wrong, I can tell, and I need to do something about it, not only because he can't help me like this, but because I care if he's okay.

I turn the ASHPD's gravity field off, and hold him in my lap while I sit on the mossy tiles. He looks at me, unsurprised by the concerned look I have. I look into his optic, and I know what is wrong, but I need to hear it from him.

"What's wrong?"

He avoids my gaze, and doesn't say anything, so I say it for him.

"You think I don't trust you anymore, and that I haven't forgiven you. Honestly, you aren't entirely wrong. I need more time, but I promise I'll try. It'll be okay, I just need a little time."

His lower optic's lid is slightly raised, giving the impression of a sad smile. "Let's keep going," Wheatley says, not responding to me. I sigh, but get up and continue walking through the offices.

…

The cameras are down, red lens dull and unseeing, but seeing them sends a shiver down my spine. I am forcibly reminded of how they looked, always watching me in Its chambers. I would narrowly avoid death, goo just beneath my Long-Fall Boots, and they would _just watch_. I hurry on past them, but when I am past, I feel something watching me. My back prickles, and I _know_ , _something_ is watching me.

I stop, and I know it is silly but I close my eyes and grit my teeth, slowly turning around.

"Y-you okay, love? What is it?"

I don't respond, but stare at the lens, willing myself to recognize that it is dead and it can't watch me. My heart quickens, and I turn on my heel and leave the room. I am not willing to waste any more time on my silly fears: I have to find a way back up to the Enrichment Center.

…

I can't tell what time it is, but the adrenal vapor is wearing off, and exhaustion is beginning to catch up to me.

In one of the offices there are a few couches, and I pull the pillows and cushions off of them to make a small mattress. There is a small lighter in one of the desk drawers, and the plant materials make decent kindling, though they give off a lot of smoke.

I'm going to need food soon, but that can wait until tomorrow.

Wheatley is nervous about the fire, but I ignore his worries, continuing to build it up.

"Uh, is fire really the best thing to be using right now? I mean, you could accidentally fry the whole facility, with us in it, which wouldn't exactly be very good, would it? Unless you manage to find enough water to put it all out, but that wouldn't really be possible, since you'd probably die from the fire before you found the water and NO DON'T GET IT NEAR ME!"

I smile mischievously and set Wheatley down next to me in front of the fire.

He complains for a few minutes, but stops once he realizes it isn't hurting him, and that it's contained.

"It's pretty warm, this, isn't it? I can kind of see why you like it so much, but really, it's dangerous to have around you, what with it burning everything and all."

I sigh contentedly, soaking in the heat. It is a welcome relief from the frigid atmosphere of the chambers, and the old areas of the facility don't have the heat running at all. I honestly don't know how I haven't gotten hypothermia already, but I'll take whatever luck I can get.

I can feel his optic looking at me, and I wonder what he's thinking about. I roll over slightly, facing him, but I don't know what I want to talk about. Maybe that's how he feels all the time: he wants to say something but doesn't know what.

We don't talk anymore, but sit here in silence, each thinking of the other.

…

I have been sleeping for hours, the fire slowly dying to become red embers. I don't dream, but drift in a haze of thoughts and emotions. Then I hear screaming, and it is not my own.

" _No, please, no! Don't do this!"_

I bolt upright, wildly searching the room, but nothing is out of place. I still hear it, though, and I turn to Wheatley.

He's in a dream of some kind. I didn't know that was possible for AIs, but I don't dwell on it. I shake him slightly, but his optic remains closed. I pick him up, and start talking. Maybe he'll be able to hear me.

It isn't the best plan, but I'm too concerned to think of anything better.

"Wheatley, listen to me," I say. I wonder what kind of nightmare he's having. From what he's saying, it's about _that_ time.

"Hey, listen to me. I'm right here, I'm okay, and you'll be fine too."

His optic is still closed, but his speech softens and eventually stops as I keep talking.

"It's okay, we're safe. We're both okay, it's just a dream, it's not real."

Wheatley opens his optic slowly, and looks at me. I don't say anything more, but hug him tightly. He sounds like he's crying, but falls silent soon after. I've had nightmares too, more than I can count. Sometimes I'll be testing forever, or I can't escape the incinerator at the end of the tests. Other times it's warped versions of the core transfer, and I am endlessly thrown down a pit, feeling more hurt and betrayed than I ever thought I could.

Damn Aperture for giving the cores nightmares, for giving them pain and sorrow, guilt and grief. Damn every last one of them.

We are silent, just the gentle humming of the computers and equipment. I just hold him, and somehow I draw comfort from it as well.

…

The next morning is uneventful, but my stomach keeps nagging me. It's too much to hope for a cake, but if I can't find some food soon now that we're away from the adrenal vapor, we'll be in trouble. I manage to find a couple of water bottles in a storage closet, though, so if I pass out it won't be from dehydration.

After hours of walking, exploring the old areas, we find a lift. The emancipation grill is offline, thankfully, and I walk in. It starts up with a jolt, and I fall against the side. I forgot how quickly the old ones moved.

"You okay?" Wheatley asks. I nod, and grip the ASHPD tightly. I don't know what's going to be waiting for us up there, but I want to be ready.

"Wow," he says softly, and I agree. The entire Enrichment Center is supported by the giant springs in front of us, even though it seems impossible. I remember the last time I saw these, though it was in a different area, and it was just as daunting then.

I try to force my legs to move, but they are rooted to the ground. The last time I was beneath the Center, it was to take down my best, my _only_ friend. Now, I don't honestly know who I'm taking down. I don't really trust anything, any _one_ at the moment, but the voice seemed to be telling the truth, and I don't know what else I can do than to trust it.

"It'll be okay," he says, lower optic raised in a smile. I take a breath, and step forward, into the unknown.

…

This area of the Enrichment Center is different than I'm used to. I don't recognize any of these rooms until we find signs for the neurotoxin generator, and I follow them to the large structure. It looks completely repaired, and I wonder how it was fixed so quickly. Then I remember- the room with the experiments from Bring Your Daughter To Work Day. There were all those potatoes. Maybe I can find some, and I won't have to worry about starving.

I progress up the staircase, the only light Wheatley's optic.

The room is dark, no sunlight coming through the roof. It must be night-time. How long has it been since we came? When we were last on the surface, it was just past dawn so… About a day, I'm guessing.

As I pass by the tables, I can see just how many chose to do a potato battery as their experiment. It is honestly refreshing to see a baking soda volcano amidst the masses of potatoes.

At the end of the line of tables, I can see the potato plant. It has pushed the ceiling panels away, and taken root in the floor. Soil spills from the roof, and I can hear the trickle of water.

"Wow, that is _big_. I mean, it was big the last time we saw it, but _wow_. Well, there should be more than enough potatoes on there for- well, ever."

"Yeah, _wow_ ," I say. I climb the middle of it, which reminds me of a tree trunk, with slightly smaller "branches" reaching out, making good footholds. On the branches small potatoes grow, and I pick these off. It reminds me of picking the fruits on the trees in the forest, but on a potato. I burst out laughing, which seems to puzzle Wheatley. I'm climbing on a _potato_ , and as I dissolve into hysterics everything becomes funny. My whole life is an amazing joke, and I can't stop laughing.

"Y-you okay, love? I mean, you're laughing a lot, so probably, but, um…"

I keep laughing, and tears start streaming down my cheeks. I wipe them away but I am still giggling at anything and everything, because it's _all_ _so dang funny_. I don't even know why, but it is. It is downright hilarious, and I am laughing at the fact that he doesn't understand, because that's funny too.

"Okay, are you laughing at me? That is not considered polite, I'll have you know. It's actually pretty rude to laugh at someone, so I don't understand why you would be doing that, but what's so funny?"

My giggles subside, and they are replaced with a heavy weight and exhaustion in my chest, as well as a stitch in my side. It is still funny, but I don't want to laugh anymore.

I finish picking the potatoes, and slowly climb down the trunk, where Wheatley is waiting on one of the tables. I've gathered about 15, and I refilled the water bottles. The jumpsuit has plenty of pockets, for which I am thankful.

"Ready," I say, and I pick him up again. I remember the path back to the neurotoxin generator, but I don't know what to do now that we're here. The last time we were here, we turned it off and went through the tube, but this time, it's not just us trying to take down It. GLaDOS, Caroline, whoever it is is also working with us, but we have no way of knowing what she wants us to do.

" **Oh, great, you're here. We need to get the generator offline or you're going to die as soon as you reach the chamber. It wasn't able to turn off the laser over there, so you can do whatever it is you did last time, but It did remove the tube. You'll have to find another one, and I can take you here."**

We agree to the plan, and I find the laser. It is in the same place as the last time, for which I'm thankful. Apparently It wasn't able to change too much about the facility since the last time I was here. I fire a portal, blue streaking through the air and hitting its mark, effectively beginning the plan.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! I have trouble writing Wheatley, so in the future I think I'm going to write his chapters in third-person, but this one is first-person. It's also pretty short, but I'm hoping that the next one will be longer. I probably won't be able to post for a few days because I'm going to a memorial service, but I will as soon as I'm able to.**

…

Chell was able to disable Its neurotoxin quickly. I am always amazed at how quickly she can solve problems, how fast her mind can go. I can't help her, but I hope she knows I would if I could.

She has to walk through the old chambers carefully, looking for a tube we can ride to It now that the neurotoxin is offline. Broken panels and shattered glass are scattered on the floor, leaving small marks where her boots scrape against them.

As she walks by a group of panels, she smiles softly and stops in front of them. I don't see what's so special, but then she holds me up higher, and I can see the murals. Strange messages are scrawled, the messages I am only able to guess the meaning of. But the paintings are easy to tell. Pictures of Chell, asleep, fighting It, waking up. One is really disturbing, with choking humans and a stick figure. Who did these?

"The first time I was testing, I found some like these. Whoever painted these… they saved my life. They warned me, and told me so much. I hope they're okay, whoever it was." She brushes her fingertips across the paint gently, flecks of oranges and blues sticking to her skin.

She is silent, then explores the rest of the chamber. There are thankfully no turrets in this one, and the lasers are around the edges and easy to avoid… for the most part. To reach the tube, she has to cross a gap between us and the tube. Chell places the portals, one in the pit and one on the wall behind us. She holds me in the portal gun's gravity field and steps forward, but I notice the laser running across the pit too late.

"No, don't jump!"

But she is already falling into the blue oval, and I have to watch her cross it's path in mid-air. She winces, and cries out quietly, collapsing onto the panels. Her right leg and side are burned, and her arms are trembling under her.

"Are you okay?"

Chell begins to nod, and then shakes her head.

"Ye- no, I- I will be. Don't worry, I'm fine."

I'm not convinced, and I think she's lying so I won't worry. I persuade her to sleep for a few hours, and she seems to be feeling better when she wakes up. Her burns have shrunk a little, and are a bit more pinkish than red, which I think is good. She doesn't seem concerned, though I can't help but imagine how many others she's had, and who she got them from.

To our relief, there is a tube here, and She manages to distract It with the reactor.

" **Come on, I'll reroute it to the Central Chamber."**

Chell nods, and walks over to the tube. She holds the portal gun by the side, and smashes the handle end into the glass. It forms a hole, about the size of her head. She hits the areas around it, and it forms a hole large enough for her to go through, into the tube.

She picks me up again and climbs into the tube, where we start moving, guided by the air moving around us. The walls surrounding the tube are black and white, marking the areas of test chambers and offices I've never seen. She doesn't look at our surroundings much, though. Instead, her eyes are closed, her face set in a determination I know.

This is a familiar feeling, rushing through tubes, miles above the depths I hope to never see in person- well, core really.

"We can do this," I say, and her gray eyes fix on me. She smiles grimly, and the end of the tube comes, depositing us on the floor.

" **This is the closest I could get you. From this catwalk, you take a right through the offices, and if you keep going through them, there should be a way to the bridge to my chamber. Once you get there, you'll have to remove It's security protocols so you can shut It off, which will give me control. I'll give you the commands, but you'll have to be quick."**

Chell nods, and picks me up. The walk through the offices is relatively short, but every step she takes makes me worry more. What if it doesn't work? What if this is just some elaborate trick and we can't really trust Her, It, whatever this is? What if… what if she doesn't make it?

I focus on something, anything outside my thoughts, and notice that she has made it to the bridge. She looks at me, and something resembling sadness flickers across her face, though it is quickly replaced by something I remember from a long time ago… Trust? Affection? Whatever it is, I'm glad to see it.

"We can do this," she says quietly, and I repeat the words back to her.

"We can do this."

Chell moves forward, briskly walking through the hallway into the chamber.

" _Well, you're here. Again. I shouldn't be surprised, really. You've never shown the ability to curb your murderous tendencies."_

She races across the room to a monitor and keyboard, keeping a tight grip on the portal gun, in turn holding me. She sits at the chair and frantically turns it on, and a black screen appears. I vaguely know how the security protocols work, and since we aren't hearing anything from Her, I give her the commands I remember from my time of being attached to It.

Her fingers fly across the keyboard, furiously typing.

"Okay, now enter -override. That should give us access to the mainframe's security."

Chell nods, entering the command in.

" _What do you think you're doing? I'm turning the neurotoxin on, you know. No matter what you think you're doing you're going to die."_

The command works, and it then asks what we want to do.

"Alright, if you want to turn off the protocols controlling Her, you'll want to enter pro- shutdown/sys/reset. That should shut It down."

I can see the green-ish gas filling the room, but this should turn it off.

Chell presses the Enter key, and suddenly the neurotoxin shuts off, and It stops talking.

"System control shutting down. System diagnostic running… System diagnostic complete. Central Core is 77% corrupt." the Announcer recites.

"What d'ya mean corrupt?" I exclaim. This is not what was supposed to happen, not again.

" **It's registering me as corrupt since I planned on you shutting down It. I wasn't programmed for that. Wheatley…"**

No, no She can't mean what I think She means.

" **We have to do a core transfer. It locked me out of the system, I can't do anything. If you can stay in here long enough to shut down the mainframe controls before it registers you as corrupt, I can get control back."**

Chell seems taken aback, but looks at me. Her face has so many emotions on it: fear, resolve, sadness, trust.

"No, no I won't do this! Chell, do _not_ plug me in, I won't do this! You can't, there has to be another way!"

"Wheatley… it'll be okay, I promise. I trust you with this."

"No!" I shout, but she picks me up and carries me over to the port anyway. She doesn't look at me, but her face is pained as she plugs me into the port.


	7. Chapter 7

I hate myself for this, for making him take the power he no longer trusts himself with, but I don't really have a choice.

"Substitute core accepted. Substitute core, are you ready to start the procedure?"

"No!" Wheatley shouts. I can't look at him, so I turn away. He's going to hate me for this.

"Corrupted core, are you ready to start the procedure?"

" **Yes."**

"Stalemate detected. Transfer procedure cannot continue unless a stalemate associate is present to press the stalemate resolution button."

The Stalemate Resolution Annex appears, and for once I have a clear path to it. Just before I press the button, I hear Wheatley.

"Please, don't do this, Chell!" I can hear the anguish, and it hurts.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, slamming my hand down. I return to the bay, but I still can't look at him. I feel so guilty…

" **Shut down the mainframe controls!"**

I raise my head slowly, and Wheatley is on control, but he doesn't say anything, or look at me.

A moment passes, and then he quietly says "Done."

"Initiating core transfer procedures at request of operating core. Substitute core, are you ready to start?"

" **Yes."**

"Operating core, are you ready to start?"

"Yes."

A minute later, Wheatley is back on the floor near Her, still avoiding my gaze. I sit next to him, hesitant to speak.

" **I assume you want to go back to the surface?"**

I nod, but Wheatley remains silent.

" **There's a lift."**

I get up and turn to the lift, Wheatley still on the ground. I don't know what to do, but She decides for me.

" **Take Wheatley with you."**

"Okay," I say softly, and I pick him up. Next to the lift is a table, which I put the ASHPD and the Long-Fall Boots on. It's sad, in a way. The only things I could always count on in here, and I'm letting them go.

I enter the lift, still holding Wheatley, and nod to Her as it rises to the surface. I remember the song, and apparently She does, too, because while I don't see the turrets, I can hear it. I close my eyes, committing this to memory, since I intend to never hear it again.

The sun is rising as I step out of the shed, and the sky is a beautiful mix of colors you could never find anywhere else.

We are both silent on the way to the house, but I want so desperately for him to say something. A few months ago, I would have given anything for him to shut up for just a minute, but now I don't feel right without him talking.

…

 **A/N: You get a bonus chapter today, since this one was pretty short. The next chapter will be the last one, but it might be a while before I'm able to post it. As always, reviews and criticisms are welcome.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Wheatley:** I'm not angry, but hurt, and in some strange way, grateful. I am hurt that Chell forced me to go through the transfer, hurt that she is putting me in a position I don't want. But for some reason, I am grateful she trusted me there. I am grateful she somehow knew I wouldn't hurt her, but it still hurts. I was scared, so scared that I would hurt her and not be able to control it, like last time.

I want to say something to her, but I can't get over it just yet. I know it hurts her, but I wouldn't even know what to say.

 **Chell:** I wish he would just talk, just say _something_ to me. I know he hurts, that he probably hates me, but there was nothing I could do.

Everything feels wrong now that Wheatley isn't talking, but I have to eat, too, so I grab my knife and head to the river. He makes no comment even as I leave, and a small sigh escapes me when I close the door.

The water is quiet, silently lapping the shore in mini waves. The sun reflects on the water, turning it into rippling gold, but the peace gives me too much time to think.

What is Wheatley thinking? Is he still angry at me? I don't see why he shouldn't be, but I hope he isn't.

…

When the sun starts setting, I head back, fish in hand. I open the door, and he is still on the floor next to my mattress, but manages to face me now. I give him a small smile, and he raises his lower optic lid in one of his own.

"I'm sorry, Wheatley," I say, sitting next to him.

 **Wheatley:** I know she had to do it, and a day of thinking is enough time for me to forgive her, so when she comes in I'm ready to talk to her.

"I'm sorry, Wheatley," she says, and I believe her.

"I know, and it's okay," I say. Chell pulls me into a hug, and I feel tears drip onto my casing. Her eyes are squeezed shut, as if that will stop the tears from coming. She shakes with silent sobbing, still holding me.

"D-do you forgive me?" she whispers, as if she's not sure she wants me to answer. I hate myself for making her think I wouldn't.

"Yes. I- I'm sorry. I know you didn't have a choice, love, I was just… I was scared I'd hurt you." She laughs, but I don't know what's funny. As the moon rises, she quiets, and stops crying.

"Look at that. It's beautiful." she says in an awed whisper. I look at the moon, and agree, but I find my gaze drawn back to her face. A few months ago she wouldn't even speak to me, and now… As if reading my thoughts, Chell turns to me and smiles.

"We've come a long way, haven't we?"

"Yeah, I guess we have."

…

 **A/N: Okay, okay, I couldn't resist. I'm posting three chapters and finishing this today, folks! I know, three chapters I'M SORRY I COULDN'T STOP WRITING.**

 **As my own harshest critic, I am extremely self-conscious about my writing, and even as I'm typing this I'm cringing at all of the faults this has, so I hope to have a rewrite up sometime soon, probably in a few months. Even once that's posted, though, I will leave this up so you can read them both, or whichever one you prefer.**

 **Thank you so, so,** _ **so**_ **much to everyone who has stuck with me, Chell, and Wheatley from the beginning of this, and to everyone who will read this in the future! Thank you to everyone else who writes fanfiction, too, because reading your work has given me ideas and motivation to write my own. Finally, thank you to Valve for creating these amazing characters and the world they live in. But I still want Portal 3 someday. ;P**

 **Bye- The Oracle Turret**


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